Moms Talk: Teacher/Coach Appreciation Gifts

In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, and with the last day of school inching closer, it’s time to think about end-of-year gifts for our kids’ teachers, coaches and instructors. 

There are certain state and local regulations that dictate basic monetary guidelines for us (you can see Wayland’s in Dr. Burton’s letter here) but outside of those, I’m always looking for thoughtful ways to show these wonderful people how much we appreciate them. 

Do I have the kids write a personal note? Do I write a personal note? How about making something homemade (baked or otherwise) for them? A gift card is always useful, but how to make that personal or meaningful? Does it matter? On the advice of friends who are teachers, I avoid candles, mugs and candy, but other than that, we’ll sometimes make a small token or drawing from the kids, and give a smallish gift card or gift certificate, along with a letter from both of us to let their teachers know how much we love them.

But now we also have coaches and instructors (dance, piano, etc.) who teach my children all year long. Not like when they were little and had a short, six-week swim session and didn’t see the teacher again for months — these people have spent significant time with my children, and are also loved. So what do I do for this whole new crop of teachers and instructors to thank them? The same as if they were a classroom teacher?

What are some of your favorite gifts/ideas to thank the “other” grown-ups in your kids’ lives with? And to any teachers out there (school or otherwise), what would YOU appreciate — or not appreciate — receiving, and what are some of your favorite gifts that you’ve been given by students?

We’d love to know! Share your opinions and ideas with us in the comments section, below.